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U.S. Air Force News

  • Tops in Blue seeks musicians

    There are lots of words that spring to mind when you think of Tops in Blue, the Air Force’s premier entertainment group, said Jeri White, Tops in Blue production coordinator at Air Force Services Agency here.“You think of ‘high energy,’ ‘world renown,’ even ‘expeditionary,’” she said. “You think of

  • Cope Tiger roars over Thailand

    The sky here has been alive with the sounds of military aircraft from Thailand, Singapore and the United States supporting exercise Cope Tiger 05.“Every year there are challenges that you deal with,” said Col. George Daniels, exercise director from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. “The exercise players

  • Flu shots mandatory where available

    Flu shots are mandatory for all active-duty, Reserve and Guard Airmen, where the supply is available, Air Force medical officials said.Because of low supplies, flu shots were previously limited to deployed Airmen, those preparing for deployment and others identified as "at risk." As supplies have

  • AF changes, removes info given to officer promotion boards

    Air Force officials are making changes to what information will be kept in selection briefs for officers facing promotion boards this year.Starting with active-duty promotion boards through the rank of colonel in 2005, all self-initiated academic education information, including bachelor's degrees,

  • Teets to build on core competencies

    Peter B. Teets will focus on core competencies to take the Air Force through a transitional period that includes the fiscal 2006 budget process and the quadrennial defense review.Mr. Teets has served as undersecretary of the Air Force since 2001 and became the acting secretary of the Air Force

  • AAFES has been in every major conflict since World War I

    With the birthday cake in place and candles lit, Regina Koenig and a few other Army and Air Force Exchange Service employees sang “Happy Birthday” to a 21-year-old colleague at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.Halfway through the song, a 127 mm rocket exploded on the other side of the main store. As the

  • F/A-22 on track to go operational

    The F/A-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s next-generation air superiority fighter, performed well in recently completed operational testing and is on track to go operational in December, the director of the program’s combined test force said.Speaking prior to a lecture he delivered at the National Museum

  • General Moseley testifies for raising death benefit

    The Senate Armed Services Committee heard testimony Feb. 1 from senior service leaders about a proposed boost in payments to survivors of military people killed in combat.Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley testified on behalf of the Air Force.Under the Pentagon's plan released Jan. 31, a

  • Fire destroys Patrick club

    More than 70 firefighters and public safety officials from here and several surrounding civilian communities responded to a fire that destroyed most of the officers club Jan. 31. Everyone was evacuated safely at about 7 p.m. when workers noticed smoke in the building. First responders from the base

  • Super Bowl goes super blue

    An Air Force F/A-22 Raptor will be a highlight during pre-game festivities at Super Bowl XXXIX where the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles face each other Feb. 6.The other military services will also take part, but Airmen will play a leading role in one of the nation's premier sport

  • Airmen train firefighters to saw through aircraft parts

    A call for assistance rang out from the fire department here recently, but it was not to battle a raging fire.Firefighters asked 653rd Combat Logistics Support Squadron Airmen for some hands-on training on a K-12 cut-saw, a piece of equipment both agencies use in their lines of work.The training

  • Joint STARS duo reaches troops on the ground

    One is active duty straight out of technical training; the other served on active duty and is now in the Air National Guard. One is male, the other is female.Yet despite their differences on the surface, Tech. Sgt. Thomas Bloomberg and Airman 1st Class Emily Leece, could not be any closer.“We

  • ‘Line of Sight’ test brings out tactical side of X-45A

    Joint-unmanned-combat-air-systems test team officials here successfully demonstrated a transfer of command and control using line-of-sight capabilities on two unmanned X-45A aircraft Jan. 27.The test followed the successful Dec. 9 sortie that transferred control of the aircraft to a control station

  • Jumper presents Purple Hearts to Baghdad bombing victims

    Two Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents were presented Purple Hearts on Jan. 31 in a ceremony at the Brooke Army Medical Center at nearby Fort Sam Houston.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper presented the medals to Special Agents Therese Frentz and Todd King, who are still

  • Falcon wrestlers down South Dakota State, 37-12

    Backed by seven individual wins, the Air Force Academy wrestling team picked up its fourth consecutive dual-meet victory, as it downed South Dakota State University, 37-12, here Jan. 29.Although the Falcons opened the match with a loss at 149-pounds, when South Dakota State’s Chad Herrbolt won by a

  • Operation Deep Freeze sees end of C-141 Starlifter era

    The gateway to the highest, driest and coldest continent on earth remains wide open and actively engaged by Airmen deployed supporting Operation Deep Freeze.Since late August, Air Force LC-130 Hercules equipped with skis have flown more than 330 sorties supporting the U.S. Antarctic Program which

  • Academy men gymnasts stumble against 4th-ranked Sooners

    Despite posting the best team total of the season, the Air Force Academy men’s gymnastics team dropped a 218.700-188.000 match to No. 4 University of Oklahoma here on Jan. 28. The 188.000 is the Falcons’ best score of the season by nearly 3 points. Air Force also posted top team scores on the

  • Falcon women gymnasts narrowly fall to Alaska twice

    The Air Force Academy women’s gymnastics team fell less than a point shy of the University of Alaska at Anchorage on Jan. 28 and 30.Despite posting their best team score of the season, the Falcons fell 190.575-190.400 on Jan. 28 and 189.875-189.625 on Jan. 30 to the visiting Seawolves.In the Jan. 28

  • A mission of compassion

    The large bus weaved through the twisting roads of the countryside here, eventually, finding the end of the pavement and dashing off onto a small dirt road leading to a countryside grade school. In front of the school, hundreds of people gathered, many taking advantage of free haircuts being given

  • Academy hoopsters fall to UNLV, 76-51

    A huge second-half run by the University of Nevada at Las Vegas Lady Rebels proved the knockout punch as the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team fell, 76-51, here Jan. 29.The Falcons fall to 6-12, 1-4 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Lady Rebels improve to 11-8, 2-3 in the league.The

  • Falcon men second at Wyoming Triangular; women third

    Air Force Academy Falcons Makisi Haleck and Erin Richardson took first-place honors on the men’s and women’s pole vault, while a group of their teammates picked up numerous top-five finishes at the Robert Shine Track and Field Invitational here Jan. 29.Haleck and Richardson captured top honors on

  • Air Force works to meet QDR challenges

    Air Force strategic capabilities are already working to meet the challenges outlined in the Quadrennial Defense Review, officials said.Every four years Department of Defense officials conduct a thorough review, as requested by Congress, to ensure that each service has the right mix of people,

  • Fighting Falcons tackle 'DEAD' mission

    The CJ model of the F-16 Fighting Falcon offers cutting-edge war-time fighting capabilities. Three new upgrades have helped the aircraft here transform from suppressing enemy air defenses to destroying enemy air defenses.“With the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, the targeting pod and the Link

  • Airman returns home to Thailand

    Military exercises like Cope Tiger 2005 -- involving the United States, Thailand and Singapore -- serve to highlight close relationships between countries, but for some servicemembers involved, the link hits even closer to home.Tech. Sgt. Siamrad Maher, a public health technician and translator is

  • Airman’s love of competition fuels rehabilitation

    Competition more often than not brings out the best in people. Simply put, all parties involved must raise their effort levels to a point where they outperform the opposition; otherwise, they will fail.The only difference for Senior Airman Brian Fenton, a 28th Operations Support Squadron air

  • C-model A-10 takes first flight

    The newly designated C-model A-10 Thunderbolt II, modified with precision engagement technology, was flown for the first time here recently by a 40th Flight Test Squadron pilot. Precision-engagement technology allows the Air Force’s premier close-air support aircraft to also use smart weapons such

  • DOD tsunami-relief efforts in transition

    Department of Defense tsunami relief efforts are "transitioning to something different," the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs told a House subcommittee here Jan. 26."A lot of what the U.S. Department of Defense has provided may not be as necessary as it was, and

  • Academy wrestlers down Western State, 29-14

    A major decision by Brenden McLean at 197 pounds clinched the Falcon victory as the Air Force Academy wrestling team downed Western State College of Colorado, 29-14, here Jan. 27. The win moves the Falcons to 3-3 on the season, while the Mountaineers, ranked 15th at the Division II level, fall to

  • Academy captures first conference win at San Diego State

    Letricia Castillo scored 15 points and led the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team to its first road win in the Mountain West Conference, defeating San Diego State University, 48-44, here Jan. 27. The victory moves the Falcons to 6-11, 1-3 in the conference, while the Aztecs fall to 6-10, 1-3

  • Practice makes perfect for flamenco-dancing Airman

    When an Airman here leaves work, she does not go home and sit in front of the television. She gets her second wind and dashes off to flamenco dance classes.After a full day as an administrative Airman for the 66th Mission Support Squadron, Airman 1st Class Jackqueline Raastad heads to a dance

  • Officials redesign recruiting Web site

    Finding information on the Air Force’s official recruiting Web site is easier since Air Force Recruiting Service officials recently redesigned the site.The site also features a new “See What It’s Like” section in which visitors can see what active-duty Airmen do on and off duty.The Web site,

  • Airmen help bring donations to Uzbek orphanages

    Airmen, Soldiers and civilians supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from here brought donated toys, clothing, shoes, food and a variety of other products to local Uzbek orphanages Jan 17 and 22. The Jan. 17 visit went to a baby orphanage in Qitab, and the Jan. 22 visit was to an orphanage in

  • EOD Airmen destroy explosives

    Heat, shock and friction were key ingredients in the controlled detonation of more than 1,000 pounds of explosives Jan. 23.The 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s explosive ordnance disposal Airmen spent close to six hours, three miles off base, preparing for a less-than-one-second blast,

  • Wolfowitz salutes military health-care providers

    Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz praised the worldwide efforts of military doctors, nurses, medics and other care providers Jan. 26, saying they are "maintaining the health and the effectiveness of America's defenders."President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the entire

  • Air Force gets new lab for testing airborne networking

    The Air Force Communications Agency here has received its first aircraft since its flying mission ended in 1987-- at least most of an aircraft. A DC-9 fuselage, minus wings and tail, arrived on a truck Jan. 25 to be permanently parked behind the agency’s technology and interoperability facility.

  • Air Force box-offs showcase lean, mean card

    The 2005 U.S. Air Force Boxing Championship, known as the box-offs, was on the ropes before the first punch was thrown here Jan. 22.Global operations reduced this year’s boxing trial camp to just 10 available fighters, down two-thirds from 2004. Seven bouts were on the card, which was unofficially

  • Airmen passing relief operation to UN-led team

    The more than 850 deployed Airmen from bases around Pacific Air Forces are preparing to head home. PACAF aircrews, maintainers and mission support Airmen have been here supporting Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian effort delivering relief supplies to several countries in Southeast Asia

  • Airmen provide Rhein-Main blanket of security

    For the last decade, the end has always seemed near for this historic air base. Now, the scheduled handover to Germany is officially within 12 months. As the closure nears, officials said the base is probably more important than it has ever been. Airmen and aircraft here are sustaining a heavy

  • Falcons hockey team drops two to Niagara

    The Air Force Academy hockey team was swept by the Niagara University Purple Eagles, losing 3-2 Jan. 21 and 3-0 Jan. 22. The two losses dropped the Falcons to 11-11-2 overall and 3-7 in the College Hockey America league. Niagara improved to 10-13-0 and 5-5 in the CHA. With the sweep, Niagara

  • Hawaii Air Guard participates in Cope Tiger

    Eight F-15 Eagles and 70 Airmen from the Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th Fighter Squadron deployed here Jan. 24 for Cope Tiger 2005. They were here to practice their flying-training skills with Thai and Singaporean airmen, and U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force air and ground support crews.This is the

  • Air Force wrestlers take down Adams State, 28-15

    Six Falcon victories, including a pair of forfeit wins, helped the Air Force Academy wrestling team to a 28-15 win over Adams State University here Jan. 22. The victory moves the Falcons to 2-3 on the season, while the Grizzlies, ranked 11th in the nation at the Division II level, fall to 2-3.The

  • Falcon men place second, women fourth, at invitational

    Olivia Korte crushed her week-old academy weight throw record as the Air Force Academy track and field team finished up competition at the annual Air Force Invitational here Jan. 22. The men claimed second in the 10-team matchup with 94.50 points, while the women placed fourth of 12 teams with a

  • Falcon hoopsters lose to BYU, 75-66

    Despite keeping it close, the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team could not pull off its first conference win of the year, dropping a game to Brigham Young University, 75-66, here Jan. 22. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 0-3 in the Mountain West Conference (5-11 overall), while the Cougars

  • Airmen keep cargo, people moving

    Since Jan. 1, tanker airlift control element Airmen here have been making sure that what comes into the Royal Thai navy airfield gets out.The element in Utapao is composed of Airmen from the 615th Air Mobility Squadron out of Travis Air Force Base, Calif. In one of two buildings they use here, the

  • Deployed fuels technicians keep OEF airlift rolling

    On a busy morning here, fuels technicians in the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron fuels management flight could have between three and five fuel trucks on the airfield topping off a C-130 Hercules or a C-17 Globemaster III.It does not really matter where the planes are going; all that

  • National Nurse Anesthetist Week kicks off Jan. 23

    Whether administering epidurals for women in labor, giving patients minor sedation in the emergency room, or watching over their patients in the operating room, certified registered nurse anesthetists have been working with surgeons, dentists and podiatrists for nearly 150 years to deliver safe

  • Airmen test new security forces vehicle

    Airmen with the 91st Security Forces Group here are testing a new armored personnel vehicle which may someday replace the ones Minot cops currently use in the missile field.The Lenco Bearcat vehicle has a V-8, diesel turbo engine combined with armored plating, said Tech. Sgt. Kevin McDonald, 91st

  • AF downed by Utah in basketball conference home opener

    Unable to overcome a 54 percent shooting effort by the Utes, the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team fell, 97-47, to visiting University of Utah here Jan. 20. With the loss, the Falcons fall to 0-2 in the Mountain West Conference (5-10 overall), while the Utes (14-4 overall) remain undefeated

  • Aircrew error caused F-15 midair collision

    Aircrew error caused a midair collision of two F-15 Eagles off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, according to an accident investigation report released Jan. 20.The aircraft both landed safely and neither pilot was injured. They were temporarily assigned to the 12th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at

  • Some gifts cannot be wrapped

    An Air Force Space Command headquarters Airman helped save his brother-in-law’s life here.Maj. Dave Holz, a plans and programs officer, gave a Christmas present that did not need wrapping. Rich Borsuk, Major Holz’s brother-in-law, was diagnosed with type-one diabetes 25 years ago as a 6-year-old

  • The human element of a humanitarian mission

    A.P. Tudor Jayasekera and his wife of 20 years, K. Rupawathi, stand in the ruins of what was once their home. All that remains are bricks, cement pieces and six pieces of wood from their roof, but they said they feel lucky.They were out of their home when a 20-foot tsunami crashed into their

  • Different views of same humanitarian effort

    Maj. Mark Ledbetter briefs his aircrew about the day’s mission and walks with them to their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. It is a simple mission, but the enormity of the situation still affects the entire aircrew. Their task it to help feed and supply more than a million people left homeless after

  • Lackland medics support OIF evacuation mission

    The medical mission in Iraq is complex, made up of a variety of Air Force and Army units that provide care for servicemembers and Defense Department civilians and contractors who need help with various ailments -- ranging from minor scorpion stings to serious combat injuries. But patients who need

  • Boom operators provide fuel for warfighters

    Some Airmen spend their work days in office cubicles, but a select group of enlisted fliers work in an “office” 25,000 feet in the air while traveling 500 mph.Boom operators from the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, do not push papers; instead, they push fuel to combat aircraft engaged in

  • CMSAF: Our airlift is what makes us a global power

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray highlighted the Air Force’s airlift mission during a three-day visit here Jan. 12.“We could not do what we do in the United States military and as a nation without our great airlifters,” Chief Murray said. “Our airlift is what makes us a global

  • Medical team crucial to avoiding an epidemic

    The tsunamis that devastated southern Asia left a breeding ground for an outbreak of diseases in their wake, which threatens both those displaced by the natural disaster and those involved in relief efforts.Combined Support Force 536, as part of Operation Unified Assistance, is here to help prevent

  • AF teams win armed forces bowling championships

    First Lt. Rickie Banister and Master Sgt. Christine Dash led their Air Force teams to the men's and women's team titles in the 2005 Armed Forces Bowling Championships here Jan. 12.The tournament was held in conjunction with the 2005 USA Bowling National Amateur Championships, and the field was cut

  • Deployed C-130Js exceeding expectations

    When the C-130J -- the newest variant of the versatile C-130 Hercules -- deployed for the first time in December, Air Mobility Command officials said they were confident of the aircraft’s capabilities.During the first few weeks of the aircraft's deployment, the J model has met and in some cases

  • Fairchild tests environmental cleanup process

    The base here encompasses 536,028 acres, all of which the Air Force is mandated by federal law to protect and conserve through effective environmental planning and management.As part of this effort, there is a one-acre site where 1,130 hybrid poplar trees were planted; a drip irrigation system was

  • Airmen help train Iraqi soldiers

    A professional military education instructor had to overcome a language barrier, an unfamiliar curriculum and a trust issue with his students to contribute to the development of a new nation.Master Sgt. Mark Leuquire was one of 28 Air Force instructors deployed to Iraq to train noncommissioned

  • Tikrit Airmen focused on the job at hand

    As danger mounts and the chances of coming into contact with enemy insurgents and explosive devices greatly increases with each passing mile, Airmen protecting critical resupply convoys throughout Iraq are remaining focused on the job at hand.From cold, desolate stretches of highway near the Turkish

  • Air Force continues aid in Sri Lanka

    Three weeks after the most devastating tsunamis on record slammed into this island south of India and killed an estimated 38,000 people, Airmen continue to help people here.More than a million were left homeless. Children without parents, or grandparents. Parents without children. In some cases, a

  • OSI -- putting the pieces together

    Many people know the Air Force Office of Special Investigations as the Air Force’s felony-level investigative service that uncovers crimes and fraud.However, there is a side of OSI that most people do not know about, at least until they deploy.“Our primary mission, both at home and deployed, is

  • Gala honors those who serve

    Those who fight America’s wars were entertained by their own and by celebrities at an invitation-only event in the heart of the Nation’s capital.More than 7,500 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines gathered at a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment facility here Jan. 18 to be honored for their

  • Air Force hockey team sweeps Army

    The Air Force Academy hockey team swept a two-game series with the Army, defeating them 5-2 on Jan. 14 and 2-1 on Jan. 15. The Falcons now have won three straight over the Black Knights, dating back to a 3-0 win last season at West Point, N.Y. Air Force improved to 11-9-2 overall while Army fell

  • Kadena Airmen help Sri Lanka tsunami victims

    Airman 1st Class Emily Starcher does not have to be reminded how important her mission is here in Sri Lanka -- she sees it everyday.There is nothing but wrecked homes and destroyed buildings along coastal towns here, she said. Town after town was wiped away by the Dec. 26 tsunamis.She is an HH-60

  • AFSOC unit wraps up Asian aid mission

    Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are going home. Almost a month after a monster earthquake and killer tsunamis claimed untold thousands of lives, the Airmen’s quick-reaction work here is complete as conventional Air Force units have arrived.The MC-130 Combat

  • Tsunami preparedness part of Civil Air Patrol training

    The idea of tsunami preparedness is nothing new for Civil Air Patrol members in Hawaii. In the aftermath of the recent tsunamis in South Asia, CAP's Hawaii Wing has scheduled additional exercises to supplement its usual tsunami preparedness training, officials said. "Our wing works extensively with

  • Kadena Airmen ensure link to the world

    Although they are not in the thick of things handing out food and supplies, Airmen from the 18th Communications Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, said that the parade of huge lumbering aircraft that come and go from here, only validates how their mission affects the success of relief

  • New mobility concept tested at Whiteman

    The third passenger aircraft in two weeks departed here Jan. 13 with more than 400 Airmen traveling under a new mobility concept developed by U.S. Central Command Air Forces.Airmen from several bases met here to catch contract airlift to an intermediate point where intratheater airlift would take

  • Track, field records fall at Air Force All-Comers Meet

    The Air Force track and field team opened the 2005 season with an impressive showing at the All-Comers Meet here Jan. 15. The Falcons picked up seven first-place finishes in their season debut, including a win from Olivia Korte, who set a new academy weight throw record in the process.On the men’s

  • Falcon women drop conference opener to New Mexico

    Despite leading 36-33 at the half, the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team was unable to hold on for the upset over the University of New Mexico, falling 72-58, Jan 15. to open the Mountain West Conference slate.Early on, the Falcons seemed to have no memory of last year’s 79-31 defeat in

  • Falcon gymnasts finish fourth at Rocky Mountain Open

    The Air Force Academy men’s gymnastics team opened the season with a fourth-place finish at the Rocky Mountain Open on Jan. 14. In the annual event, Air Force totaled a team score of 184.700.Top-ranked Oklahoma University won the event with a team score of 215.425, while the University of Nebraska

  • Officials announce annual civil engineer award winners

    Air Force officials joined three civilian professional associations in honoring Air Force civil engineers recently.The Society of American Military Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives and Air Force

  • Contracting makes it happen

    From beans to bullets, cradle to grave, one agency at a forward-deployed location makes it all happen. Whether it is bottled water to get Airmen through the heat of summer or vital supplies to keep the aircraft flying, the 386th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron is there to make sure the mission

  • AF nominates combined test force for Collier Trophy

    Air Force officials nominated the Global Reach Combined Test Force here for the National Aeronautic Association’s 2004 Robert J. Collier Trophy.Task force workers were cited for accomplishing test projects that increased aircraft performance, safety and efficiency, said Lt. Col. Kelly Latimer,

  • Combat weather forecasters fight ‘fog of war’

    It rolls in when it wants to, covers everything in its path and makes visibility so poor you can barely see your hand in front of your face. It is what some here call “the fog of war.”This fog, however, is the real thing. It is a fog so thick it makes missions for Operation Enduring Freedom here

  • Air Force charity ball set for March 12

    The Air Force’s official charity ball returns in 2005 after the 2004 event raised more than $240,000 for the Air Force Aid Society.The ball is set for March 12 at Bolling Air Force Base, D.C. The committee stops taking reservations Feb. 4.“We’re well on our way to doing even better than last year,”

  • Airmen bring relief to tsunami-devastated region

    Airmen of the 8th Airlift Squadron from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., continued their vital role in the disaster relief effort Jan. 12. Equipment, supplies and people were loaded onto one of the squadron's huge C-17 Globemaster III cargo jets headed to Banda Aceh, Indonesia.Indonesia was one of

  • Relief effort making progress

    Servicemembers deployed across Southeast Asia remain busy "providing literally tons of relief" supplies to impoverished victims of the Dec. 26 tsunamis, a U.S. officer reported Jan. 13 from Utapao, Thailand.U.S. Sailors, Marines and Airmen continued the massive airlift and sealift of food, medicine

  • General Jumper qualifies in F/A-22 Raptor

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper ended two weeks of training here Jan. 12, flying his qualification flight in the F/A-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft.“I’ve been involved with the Raptor program for years, in one way or another,” General Jumper said. “Now, to be able

  • Military support group prepares for presidential inauguration

    A little-known group of Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen is preparing to provide behind-the-scenes military support for presidential inaugural activities, the organization's deputy commander said here Jan. 11.The Joint Task Force - Armed Forces Inaugural Committee provides all

  • F-15E crew uses new targeting pod

    An F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew from the 494th Fighter Squadron took part in a flight that marked an evolution in weapons technology when it used a Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod on the aircraft Jan. 7.An F-15E weapons system officer can now independently launch satellite-guided weapons on targets.

  • Operation Hero 'deploys' Airmen's children

    Today’s servicemember has a good understanding of what a deployment is, how it goes and what to do. But sometimes family members, especially the children, do not understand what is happening or why their mom or dad has to go.Children of 33rd Fighter Wing Airmen recently got a taste of what their

  • Airborne security flight reaches across ‘high frontier’

    It was enough to make a person nauseous. The UH-1N Huey tested the limits of both the aircraft and the defenders it carried as it turned nearly on its side circling the missile launch facility.With their cast-iron stomachs, the security forces Airmen glared out the aircraft’s windows to conduct an

  • Airman moonlights as CAP officer

    During the week Jillian Smith is called “airman first class”; on the weekends it is “lieutenant.” Why the change? The 27th Intelligence Support Squadron communications troop splits her time between the Air Force and the Virginia Wing of the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol. A nonprofit

  • Guardsmen help with tsunami relief

    Alaska and Hawaii, the two closest states, are supporting American relief efforts by sending Air National Guardsmen and resources to the region devastated by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunamis, Guard spokesmen said.Guardsmen are supporting the unprecedented relief effort for Indonesia, India, Sri

  • Relief effort switches gears

    The tsunami relief effort has switched gears and moved out of the crisis-response stage, the commander of the Air Force expeditionary airlift wing at Utapao, Thailand, said.Sixteen days after tsunamis hit 12 countries in Southeast Asia, the flow of aid into the region has moved into a more

  • Combined support force refines relief efforts

    Relief efforts continue in the Southeast Asian region devastated by the Dec. 26 earthquake and resulting tsunamis.Water-production facilities are being established in Indonesia in coordination with host government officials, said Marine Lt. Col. Robert Krieg, lead future-operations planner for

  • Yokota C-130s continue to fly aid to tsunami victims

    C-130 Hercules crews from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, continue to fly vital supplies and equipment to tsunami-stricken areas in Southeast Asia.“It feels great to help. It makes you feel good to be an American when we are able to share with those who are in need,” said Maj.

  • Air Force, partners deliver aid to Indonesia

    Unfamiliar partners from disparate lands have tuned the tools of their humanitarian outreach trade and are working in unison in the wake of one of the world’s worst natural disasters.Airmen of the 353rd Special Operations Group, based in Langkawi, Malaysia, said the 16-hour days typically begin,

  • Deployed troops send relief to Southeast Asia survivors

    Deployed troops at a forward-deployed location here combined forces to send relief items to victims of the tsunamis that swept through Southeast Asia on Dec. 26. Several base agencies worked hand-in-hand with host-nation organizations to provide much-needed clothes, sanitation items and food to Sri

  • On-Ground reality drives combined support force

    The global effort based here to help pick up the pieces in the tsunami-devastated region of Southeast Asia continues to respond to ever-pressing needs.Initially the responsibility of a U.S. joint-service task force, the job of picking up the pieces was turned over to a combined support force

  • Instruction clarifies enlisted Airmen’s roles, responsibilities

    Air Force officials further clarified and standardized the roles, responsibilities and duty titles of its enlisted Airmen with the latest version of Air Force Instruction 36-2618, The Enlisted Force Structure.The 19-page document, certified by Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray,

  • Airmen bring aid where needed

    The children of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, a province in the northern tip of Sumatra hit hard by the Dec. 26 tsunamis, returned to school Jan. 10. It is not the same school they remember, and the class lists have been revised downward, too often halved. But it is a small step toward recovery -- a path

  • Bemidji State beats Air Force, 4-3, in hockey overtime

    Jean Guy-Gervais scored the game-winning goal with 1:34 remaining in overtime as Bemidji State University beat Air Force, 4-3, in a College Hockey America game here Jan. 8.Bemidji State improved to 11-7-0 overall and 6-2 in the league for second place. Air Force fell to 9-9-2 overall and 3-5 in the

  • Falcons shoot past Regis, 72-52

    Shooting a school-record 72.7 percent from long range, the Air Force Academy women’s basketball team downed Regis University, 72-52, Jan. 8 for its largest victory of the season. With the win, the Falcons move to 5-8 on the season, while the Rangers fall to 10-3.Regis got out to an early 6-1 lead,

  • Academy wrestlers fall to Brown at Lone Star Duals

    The Air Force Academy wrestling team remained winless Jan. 8, falling to Brown University, 26-15, in its last meet at the Lone Star Duals wrestling tournament. Picking up individul wins for the Falcons were Josh Peterson, Brandon Strong, Beau Tresemer and Brenden McLean.Air Force started out the

  • Humanitarian-relief mission supports tsunami victims

    The largest humanitarian relief effort since the Berlin Airlift in 1947 is providing desperately needed water, food and medical supplies to victims of the tsunamis in the Indian Ocean, the general coordinating air support for the operation said Jan. 9.Brig. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, director of the

  • New year brings new missions for Air Force Reserve

    This year, citizen Airmen will see some new missions headed their way as they continue their efforts to fight and support the war against terrorism.Responding to the active-duty needs, reservists will take part in Future Total Force initiatives that will test new organizational constructs to